The Russian-American rapper’s latest cut is a blend of fast flows and tumultuous topics.
Photo by Terré Binns
In convolk’s newly released track, the Russian-American rapper gets more personal than ever, tackling topics such as death, mourning, and heartbreak through an incredibly melancholic delivery. convolk has become known for combining singing and rapping over slow, emotional and melodic instrumentals, but on his most recent cut, he experiments with a faster, triplet-like flow, which he blends masterfully into the rest of the track. The grave lyrical content reflects the struggles in the artist’s day-to-day life. “If I died tomorrow/Would you cry for me,” he sings throughout the chorus, possibly reflecting the uncertainty stemming from the severe, life-threatening heart condition from which he suffers. convolk also touches on universal struggles such as the feeling of not being good enough, fake love, suicide, depression, and anxiety.
The 23-year-old artist’s tumultuous life is reflected in his work, with “Medicine” being no exception. However, the main topic of the song is his relationship with a lover, which he equates to his medicine, and to whom he addresses the haunting question posed in the chorus. Sentiments of feeling trapped or feeling dead while the world goes on without noticing plague the artist’s thoughts. The Yago Beats-produced track currently sits at over 70K plays on SoundCloud gathered in only six days, showcasing the incredible growth that convolk garnered throughout 2019. Interestingly, the genre under which he listed “Medicine” is “#alt808s” – most likely an attempt to distance himself from the corporate label of “emo rap.” While heavy topics are present in much of today’s music, few come from as genuine of a place as his.